Jul 02

Chotiros Suriyawong in Revealing DressThailand has one of the most beautiful fashion schools in the world based on cross-culture traditions – mix of indigenous culture, Chinese, Indian, European fashion. As you probably know from my previous posts, one of the most valuable advices for newcomers is “do NOT bring your own clothes to Thailand” (mostly because your clothes will be too warm for local climate). Usually tourists can buy cloth here for cheap – it’s not the best fashion and quality but who cares if your vacation is 1-2 weeks long and items worth 3-5 dollars apiece?

BUT if you are planning to visit Thailand in the end of August – you can easily acquire high style clothes during Bangkok International Fashion & International Leather Fairs. Event will be open to public during two days (30-31). There will be a good chance to buy hand-made masterpiece items during the fairs for cheap – or at least not too expensive: designers don’t like to bring their goods back to home from fairs – so you (we) have high chances to get discounts up to 80%.

At the moment I’m trying to decide – which hotel to choose? Despite fact I already know few good hotels in Bangkok I want to stay in new place – mostly because local boutique hotels: they offer wonderful combination of  magical Thai culture with western technologies and each hotel has it’s own unique “flavor”. So the options are:

Davis Hotel – it seems like this one is the most popular boutique hotel in Bangkok but somehow I managed to miss it in my previous trips. Have to “fix” this now – this one is the first boutique hotel in Thailand. Little far from public transport – but I hope pool and gym can compensate it…

Montien Hotel – so far this is the most popular hotel in Bangkok. In fact I don’t like “popular” places because their quality usually comparable to McDonald’s – but this hotel has too many good reviews to simply ignore them (+ it’s location and nearby transport infrastructure making it most suitable “base” for my “fair adventures”).

Sofitel Grand Sukhumvit Hotel – unlike previous “candidate” this one has 5 stars rating (and prices are comparable despite +1 star rating). Hotel’s location is very suitable for “mass shopping” then you have to return every X hours to drop your “booty” or to change clothes. Still I have feeling: this one is like “boutique McDonalds” – mostly because of it’s size (it’s very big).

The Eugenia – basically it’s not “a hotel” as we usually can imagine it as large concrete box with windows. Instead this one is “the hotel”: 19th century colonial style mansion in the center of Bangkok (Sukhumvit area) with beautiful interiors (+ pool – which is uncommon for small hotels in Bangkok). Slightly more expensive than others – but probably worth it: still it’s not usual “concrete box”. Could be interesting to check it’s services – or at least interiors.

May 07

May, 19 – Visakha Bucha Day (public holiday): it is a day to commemorate three important events of Buddhism: the birth, the enlightenment and the passing away of the Buddha. Miraculously, these events fell in the same month and on the same date. (more…)

Apr 03

Phuket Bike Week and Motorcycle Exhibition 2007There are multiple public events and holidays planned on Phuket in this year – from usual Songkran Festival to cricket and golf championships and motorbike exhibition. Here goes a list of events starting from this weekend:

  • April, 6: Chakri Memorial Day (public holiday) – Chakri Day commemorates the foundation of Bangkok as natinal capital by Rama I - first monarch in Chakri dynasty. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the ninth monarch of the Chakri dynasty.
  • April, 10-13: Phuket Bike Week and Motorcycle Exhibition 2008 (more…)